


say yes

by heyvelrisa



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Memories, Royalty, except they zoot right past it, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27518386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyvelrisa/pseuds/heyvelrisa
Summary: Clementine promised to do whatever it took to keep Alexandra from losing her job, and it ended up costing her entire future. But maybe she can find a way to make it all right before it’s too late for both of them.
Relationships: Clementine Cordelia/Alexandra Gold
Kudos: 8





	say yes

**Author's Note:**

> alexandra belongs to AddySnow!!

Clementine had heard of wedding jitters before, but she was fairly certain that the ones she was feeling were not the ones that other people felt. 

Her tailor and assistants had been working extra hard for the last several hours to prepare her wedding garb. She and Prince Jordan were to have a very formal, eloquent wedding. The wedding itself was her father's request. 

Clem could only hope that making it a formal, mature event would soften the blow when Clem proposed to another woman at her own wedding. 

Now, as her crew slowly filtered out of the fitting room to find Jordan to finish his attire, Clem turned to face her own reflection in the full-length mirror before her. It was so odd, to see herself in a wedding gown. She had spent years and years distancing herself from the idea of marriage, of splitting the power she knew she could have if she worked hard enough on her own. But she had made a promise to her father. Well, it was more of a deal than a promise. 

One of the palace guards had snitched about Clementine and Alexandra, the affectionate words and loving actions they shared behind closed doors. Clementine closed her eyes and winced at the memory of her father calling her to the throne room, Alexandra's closed-off face, the way she didn't even bat an eye when Clementine entered. 

Her father had not beaten around the bush. Romantic tolerations with the palace guards, much less one's personal guard, were extremely unprofessional and dangerous, and would not be tolerated, her father had made clear. Clementine didn't even have time to be confused before her heart dropped into her shoes. 

"What are you talking about?" she had stammered weakly, and her father had pressed his mouth into a thin line. 

"Your tactics will not be tolerated with me. Jesse has told us everything we need to know. I do not want an explanation for what you and Alexandra did. I want an apology from both of you. Alexandra will be removed from her post and exiled from the palace." Clementine hadn't missed the way that Alex's hand twitched, just slightly. The storm brewing behind her eyes and the tightness of her lips. 

"Apologize? What? What are you talking about?" Clem furrowed her eyebrows. Her heart had been racing. She had known for years that Alex's job was her life, her only reason for waking up in the morning, the only thing that could make her happy, what she had trained for and endured years of abuse for in her childhood. Her father couldn't strip that away from her. 

"For your behavior." She had flinched at the last word, the unnecessary amount of emphasis he had put on it. "And for going behind my back and your mother's back."

Clem's eyes had flashed to her mother's in a moment of desperation. The queen wouldn't meet her eyes, and Clementine could feel her panic rising, the way her pulse hammered in her veins, the sweat on her palms and the quickness of her breath.

"I don't have to apologize to you for anything. Neither does she." Clementine had straightened her posture out of habit, lifted her chin, sneered at her father. "Love is an unavoidable emotion."

"Love!" her father had cried in disbelief. He had the audacity to laugh, shaking his head. "You're both—"

"Women?" Clementine's voice was oddly calm. "What? Is that so hard to wrap your head around? Or is it because of the power imbalance?" Clementine had taken a deep breath, given herself a moment to compose herself. "As ridiculous as it may sound to you, love doesn't choose things like that."

"And you think you're in love with Alexandra."

"I don't think it. I know it." Clementine had held her father's chilled gaze. "I am in love with Alexandra, and I have been for a very long time. If you deem that as a worthy excuse to throw away her job, her rank in the palace, and what she has worked tirelessly toward for her entire life, you lose your daughter."

"You're being childish."

"I beg to differ." Clementine took a few steps closer to her father, had reveled in the way she could see him tense up a little at the sight of her. She could feel Alex's eyes on her now. She took a deep breath. She needed Alex to trust her, and she needed to trust herself if she was going to make this work. 

"It is unjust and immature to remove a person from their position solely because of a combination of chemicals that are out of their hands. Love is a very complex thing. Wouldn't you agree?" She looked between her parents and didn't wait for an answer. "It makes a person think and do certain things they wouldn't do, yes, but it also brings people closer. Is this really such a bad thing? I understand that it is tradition for the princess to marry a man. I know. Trust me, I know. But I do not need a man to be successful." She gestured to the throne. "This kingdom does not need a man to rule over it to be successful. Isaac has told you time and time again that he doesn't want to rule over the Kingdom. I do. And I don't understand what is so hard for you to understand about that." She looked back at Alexandra, felt her whole body go soft for a moment. "But I care more about her than I do myself. So I will make you a deal." She turned back to her father. 

"A deal?" He had scowled at her, but she didn't falter. 

"A deal," she had confirmed. "Alexandra keeps her post. She continues to work by my side." She kept her gaze steady on her father's weary face. "And I will drop my attempts to become the queen of my country. Isaac will become the sovereign hand that the kingdom deserves. I will submit to you and Mother for the rest of our lives." The realization of it had left a sudden crushing weight on her chest, but she reminded herself who she was doing it for and pushed ahead. "If you do not take this deal, consider yourself with one less daughter."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"If you reassign Alexandra, I will run far, far away from this place— somewhere you will never find me— and I will never return."

Clementine had watched her father's face blanch. He had laughed again. "That's ridiculous."

"You keep saying that." Clementine took three more steps toward him. "But would I jest about something like this?" She watched the color drain from his face again, the genuine fear hidden in his guarded expression. "Imagine the scandal. A runaway princess. The eldest daughter, the perfect angel that she is, the one who has been fighting for years and years to become queen. What could possibly have driven her out of the comfort of the palace? What would you say to them? Would you tell them the truth, that I was driven out by an unjust rule that is older than many of my ancestors, or would you lie to your precious subjects to make yourself look like more of a king than you will ever really be?"

"All of this for a girl?" he had sputtered incredulously. Clementine had rolled her eyes. She was getting awfully sick of that. 

"Yes. I don't think I could ever see myself ruling without her by my side in one way or another."

She hadn't missed the way her father's nose crinkled in disdain at her behavior, her confession, her compromise. It had been silent for a long, long time. Clementine felt a burst of guilt for pushing her brother into the fire, leaving him the inevitable job of ruling the kingdom, but she figured that if her father chose wisely, at least she would still be around to help him prepare. 

She resisted the urge to turn around and face Alex to see what she thought. Her guard was very good at practicing self-restraint, but Clem had wondered if she was itching under her skin to stop her. Clem was throwing away her whole future here.

Well. Not her whole future. She would be nothing if not for Alexandra. 

There had been a scuff of feet from the door, and every head in the room turned. The guards stationed there let the doors fly open, weapons poised— having three members of the royal family in one place when intruders were involved wasn't exactly safe— but when the doors opened, Clementine had to hold in a relieved laugh at the sight of Isaac and Lilith, standing there like they'd been caught committing some horrible crime. To be fair, eavesdropping on a conversation like this one would probably get both of them— especially Isaac— in very big trouble, but Clementine could feel her body relax a bit. 

Her parents dismissed her to her room, her father deciding that he would think on her compromise and let her know by the end of the next day, but that Alex would stay in the guard bunkers instead of her own room until then. Rori would temporarily take over full time until a decision was made. Clementine felt oddly calm as she and Clem were escorted out of the throne room. Alex finally let out a shaky breath, one that Clem knew she had probably been holding for the entirety of the meeting. 

The doors closed behind them, sealing Isaac and Lilith inside for what would probably be a not-so-friendly chat. 

Clem felt very self-conscious suddenly with the other two guards there with them, but she allowed herself to link her pinky with Alex's. "Don't worry too much. The fact that he's even considering it is good." She glanced over at Alex and met her eyes. "He can't lose his precious princess."

Alex had nodded weakly, and they had been quiet until they had to part ways. 

The decision process had been the longest two days of Clem's life, but her father finally approached her with the final deal: Alex could keep her post if Clem promised to find a romantic suitor— a romantic male suitor— within three months. If she failed to do so, one would be chosen for her, and they would be married within the next six months. 

Clementine had accepted his offer without batting an eye. 

The past five months had flown by. Clementine had met Prince Jordan, the only prince she had met who really had any interest in what she had to say, and settled on him. 

Not even a week after the wedding date had been set, Clementine had learned a very crucial piece of information about Jordan— the longing look in his eyes when he spoke about the princess of an eastern kingdom had caught her attention, and it didn't take long for her to find out that he, too, was in love with someone else. She could tell that her discovery scared him, and that he was afraid she would use this information against him, but it didn't take long for them to start scheming when Clementine told him about her own situation. 

She opened her eyes and was met with her reflection again, her white gown draping elegantly across her body. Today, Clementine would be crashing her own wedding. Jordan was the only other person who knew. Her father couldn't deny her of her lover in front of a crowd as large as the one that would be gathered today; what kind of man would that make him?

Clem watched in the mirror as the door creaked open behind her. Her lips parted and her heart skipped a beat when Alex revealed herself, and there was a moment of panic— wasn't it bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony?— but then she remembered that Alex wasn't who she was marrying— not today, anyway— and she felt herself relax a little. 

"Hi, princess," Alex mumbled from the doorway, and Clem turned to face her. Alex couldn't meet her eyes.

"Alex." Clem's heart swelled a little. "I haven't seen you all day."

"It's been hard to find a chance to." Alex finally met her gaze. "You look beautiful."

Clem felt her face flush. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Alex rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, I'm not the bride."

The statement was oddly sobering for both of them. Clem's smile dropped a little, and Alex dropped her gaze again. 

"You'll still be there today?" Clem asked after a moment of silence. "Father hasn't placed any last-minute restrictions?"

"Not yet," Alex grumbled, and Clem pushed down the giggle she felt rising in her chest. She felt terrible, seeing Alex look so utterly heartbroken. She briefly wondered what would happen if Clem really did end up marrying Jordan. Would Alex stand by as nothing more than her guard for the rest of her life? Would she resign eventually? Would the sight of Clem living her life by someone else's side be too much for her to handle?

Clem knew Alex was strong, but she wouldn't blame her if that were the final outcome. She knew she herself could probably never stand by and watch Alex fall in love with someone else for a lifetime. 

Part of her felt bad for keeping such a big thing from Alex, but she hoped that her reaction would be worth it. 

"I would really love to kiss you right now," Alex said longingly, and Clem felt her bones turn to jelly. "It might be my last chance, but I don't want to mess up your lipstick."

"I think my lipstick is the least of my worries right now." 

Clementine stepped off of the short platform she had been displayed on, letting her dress trail behind her. Alex stepped closer to meet her in the middle. 

"Well, then. May I?" Alex's voice was usually charged with a playful flirty energy when she asked that question, especially in this context, but Clem couldn't help but notice that she was tearing up a little this time, her voice falling flatly and emotionlessly. 

"Of course." Clem felt a weight in her chest, and she let Alex gently gather her up in her arms and kiss her. Clem could tell she was holding back, holding her like a delicate jewel, and it made Clementine want to cry. 

Alex pulled away slowly, carefully, and brushed a stray strand of hair back behind Clem's ear. "I will never stop loving you, princess."

"I know." She wanted to say more, but she knew better. Silence stretched between them. Alex still had her gathered up in her arms. "Is my lipstick okay, then?"

Alex smiled sadly and brushed a gloved hand along the bottom of her lower lip. "Beautiful as always."

Clem felt herself blush again, and she dropped her gaze briefly. 

The door clicked, and the women jumped away from each other, but it turned out to just be Jordan. He threw his arms up over his eyes as soon as he registered that Clementine was in there, wedding gown and all. Clem saw Alex relax a little— she knew that Jordan knew about them. 

"I was looking for you, Alexandra. I wondered if you'd be here." Clem watched Alex fix her posture, the glazed-over look returning to her eyes. "The Queen is requesting your assistance in helping touch up the ballroom," Jordan continued. 

"Of course. Right away." Alex gave one last longing look at Clem, forced a sad smile, and turned to leave. 

The two exchanged some chatter outside of the door, and Clem heard Jordan say something about keeping his eyes covered. A moment later, he came strolling back into the room, his eyes most certainly not covered. 

"You look great," he said with a small smile, and Clem managed a weak one in return. 

"You don't look so bad yourself, though I think my tailors are looking for you."

He made a noncommittal hum and studied Clem's face for a moment. "Did you tell her?"

Clem took a shaky breath. "I... no. I didn't. I still think we should surprise her, but it's not exactly as easy as I thought it would be. She's... very upset." Clementine bit back a sudden wave of tears. "Hard to see."

"I see that." He set a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But it will be worth it in the end, whether she figures it out beforehand or not."

"Of course," Clem rushed to reply. She looked up at him. "I can't thank you enough for doing this for me. For us."

He smiled and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just as thankful for you."

Clem nodded a little and took a deep breath. "You should go. The tailors are still looking for you. Finishing touches."

"If I must." He gave her shoulder one last reassuring squeeze, and he was gone after a moment. Clementine turned and faced her reflection in the mirror again. She barely even recognized herself. She looked so regal. It was extremely weighing, but she almost felt excited, too. Something very big was happening. 

•••

Clementine felt oddly airy as she made her slow way up to the alter where Jordan stood. 

She took a moment to truly appreciate him for what he'd done, to silently wish him the best, and to hope for a success for him and his lover. She took her place in front of him, met his eyes, tried desperately to ignore the fact that Alexandra was sitting mere feet behind her and her parents were seated on their thrones behind the alter. 

The priest began droning on behind her, and she could see that Jordan was really looking through her, focusing on his words, waiting for the magic words, just like her. 

"Any persons who are here today who may object to the union of these royalties, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The silence stretched for a long moment. Jordan abruptly cleared his throat, slowly removed his hands from where they were clasped in Clementine's. He slowly raised his right hand. "I."

A shudder of confused murmurs broke out across the audience, and Jordan nodded lightly at Clementine. He stepped down off the alter, and Clem watched as he gently grabbed Alex's arm— she didn't miss the way she flinched a little at first— and guided her up to the alter. Her faint arguments of "what are you doing" and "what's going on" made Clem feel oddly lightheaded. This whole situation was so surreal. Jordan guided her until she was standing where he himself had been moments ago. He set Alex's hands in Clem's and made his way back to sit where Alex had been moments before. Alex looked at Clem, confused and frightened for a brief moment, but something clicked in her head as the entire crowd went silent all at once. 

Clementine could see her father start to stand up in protest from her peripheral, but the queen held his arm, gently pushed him back down to his seat. 

The priest stepped back in what must have been partially disbelief as Clem gently lifted her lover's hands to her lips, gently kissing her gloved knuckles before turning to face the crowd of people before them. 

"I would like everyone to meet the love of my life, Alexandra Gold." The crowd once again erupted into astounded chatter, and Alex tugged on her hand. 

"Are you crazy?" She sounded nervous, but her eyes were sparkling, and Clem could feel some sort of charged energy coming from her. 

Or maybe that was her own adrenaline. 

"Maybe." Clementine smiled giddily and squeezed Alex's hand. "But I am also very much in love with you."

Alex laughed lightly, and it took more self restraint that Clem cared to admit to not kiss her there on the spot. Instead, she turned back to the wild crowd and lifted her free hand into the air to gain the attention of her subjects. "Alexandra has been the light of my life for several years now," she continued once they finally settled. "And I know this is shocking to many of you for many reasons. Many of you are probably even upset, and I understand that. If you choose to disown me, or to hate me, or whatever the case may be, I cannot hold judgement against you. But I ask you to be sympathetic, and to try to understand. Alexandra has the kindest soul I have ever met. She would give her life for me, and she knows I would do the same, but our bond runs much deeper than that. I can’t put it into words, but many of you know how it feels to love, and this is no different. Marrying Prince Jordan feels wrong because as much as marrying for power is a tradition, why mustn’t we marry for love? For our hearts rather than our kingdom? Especially if I am never to become queen of this kingdom. What is stopping me from marrying my soulmate?”

Clementine took a long pause to breathe, and prepared to start again, but a singular whoop came from the crowd, and many of the townspeople sitting before her created a chain reaction of applause, cheers, laughter. She almost felt lightheaded. 

It took a long, long time for the crowd to finally die down again, and Clem turned to face Alex again, whose face was flushed. She was beaming at the princess, and when Clem took both of her hands again, she could feel her lover trembling a little against her. 

“Hi,” she whispered breathily, and Clem giggled. 

“Hi.” Clem gave herself a moment to study her face, admire her features for what must have been the billionth time at least. After a long while, Clem dropped to her knees, still holding Alex’s hands in her own. Her gown pooled around her, a sea of white engulfing her, and Alex’s eyes widened in disbelief. A few gasps and coos came from the crowd. 

“Alexandra, I don’t know who I would be today without you.” She felt a little better now, speaking to Alex instead of to the crowd. She bowed her head and closed her eyes. “You are the strongest, kindest, most dedicated woman I have ever met in my life, and I will forever be in awe of you. And whether you’re sitting alongside me on the throne or living in another kingdom in a cottage with me, I want to spend my life with you, if you’ll have me. Not as your higher-up, or your responsibility, but as your equal. I want you to be my wife.” Clem finally looked back up at Alex to see her teary-eyed and smiling down at her, and she gave a smile of her own in return. “Will you marry me?”

“Right now?” she asked with nervous excitement. Her voice sounded strained, as if she was doing everything in her power not to cry. “Yes, a thousand times yes, but I don’t feel as though I’m dressed for the occasion.” 

Clementine felt a plethora of emotions rising in her chest, and she could feel herself getting ready eyed as she laughed. “We don’t have to right now,” she managed as Alex sank to her knees next to her, “unless you want to.”

“Let’s wait.” Alex was whispering now, reaching out with trembling hands to hold Clem’s face. “Make it our own day. But it will happen, no matter what.”

Clem nodded quickly, leaning in to kiss her with the rush of adrenaline she was having. The crowd erupted into cheers again, Jordan being the loudest, and Clem could vaguely hear the delicate sound of her mother’s applause from the other side of the alter as well. 

How pissed her father was would be an issue for later. Right now, she was wrapped up in her fiancé’s arms, feeling lighter than she had in months, and that was all that mattered.


End file.
